SummaryNetworks are the backbone of our society, but configuring them is error-prone and tedious: misconfigured networks result in headline grabbing network outages that affect many users and hurt company revenues while security breaches that endanger millions of customers. There are currently no guarantees that deployed networks correctly implement their operator’s policy.
Existing research has focused on two directions: a) low level analysis and instrumentation of real networking code prevents memory bugs in individual network elements, but does not capture network-wide properties desired by operators such as reachability or loop freedom; b) high-level analysis of network-wide properties to verify operator policies on abstract network models; unfortunately, there are no guarantees that the models are an accurate representation of the real network code, and often low-level errors invalidate the conclusions of the high-level analysis.
We propose to achieve provably correct networks by simultaneously targeting both low-level security concerns and network-wide policy compliance checking. Our key proposal is to rely on exhaustive network symbolic execution for verification and to automatically generate provably correct implementations from network models. Generating efficient code that is equivalent to the model poses great challenges that we will address with three key contributions:
a) We will develop a novel theoretical equivalence framework based on symbolic execution semantics, as well as equivalence-preserving model transformations to automatically optimize network models for runtime efficiency.
b) We will develop compilers that take network models and generate functionally equivalent and efficient executable code for different targets (e.g. P4 and C).
c) We will design algorithms that generate and insert runtime guards that ensure correctness of the network with respect to the desired policy even when legacy boxes are deployed in the network.

Networks are the backbone of our society, but configuring them is error-prone and tedious: misconfigured networks result in headline grabbing network outages that affect many users and hurt company revenues while security breaches that endanger millions of customers. There are currently no guarantees that deployed networks correctly implement their operator’s policy.
Existing research has focused on two directions: a) low level analysis and instrumentation of real networking code prevents memory bugs in individual network elements, but does not capture network-wide properties desired by operators such as reachability or loop freedom; b) high-level analysis of network-wide properties to verify operator policies on abstract network models; unfortunately, there are no guarantees that the models are an accurate representation of the real network code, and often low-level errors invalidate the conclusions of the high-level analysis.
We propose to achieve provably correct networks by simultaneously targeting both low-level security concerns and network-wide policy compliance checking. Our key proposal is to rely on exhaustive network symbolic execution for verification and to automatically generate provably correct implementations from network models. Generating efficient code that is equivalent to the model poses great challenges that we will address with three key contributions:
a) We will develop a novel theoretical equivalence framework based on symbolic execution semantics, as well as equivalence-preserving model transformations to automatically optimize network models for runtime efficiency.
b) We will develop compilers that take network models and generate functionally equivalent and efficient executable code for different targets (e.g. P4 and C).
c) We will design algorithms that generate and insert runtime guards that ensure correctness of the network with respect to the desired policy even when legacy boxes are deployed in the network.

SummaryDetection of cosmic neutrinos can answer very important questions related to some extremely energetic yet unexplained astrophysical sources such as: compact binary stars, accreting black holes, supernovae etc., key elements in understanding the evolution and fate of the Universe. Moreover, these particles carry the highest
energies per particle known to man, impossible to achieve in any present or foreseen man made accelerator devices thus their detection can test and probe extreme high energy physics.
One of the newest techniques for measuring high energy cosmic neutrinos regards their radio detection in natural salt mines. A first and essential step is to determine experimentally the radio wave attenuation length in salt mines, and this will represent the main goal of this project. The results shall be used to estimate the implications on the construction of the detector. The outcome of this project may rejuvenate the radio detection in salt technique and be a compelling case for Romanian involvement. The same measurements can be used: to validate and improve previous work on theoretical simulation models of propagation in heterogeneous media –a regime not very well understood (which represents another goal of the project), and to study the behavior of classical antennas in non-conventional media (the third major goal).
The results to be obtained would be immediately relevant in determination of the key parameters that describe a cosmic neutrino detector, its performances and limitations. The events detected by such a telescope will allow identification of individual sources indicating a step forward in “neutrino astronomy”. The extensive propagation and antenna behavior studies in heterogeneous media will be in the direct interest for the scientific community and have a prompt impact in telecommunications theory and industry.

Detection of cosmic neutrinos can answer very important questions related to some extremely energetic yet unexplained astrophysical sources such as: compact binary stars, accreting black holes, supernovae etc., key elements in understanding the evolution and fate of the Universe. Moreover, these particles carry the highest
energies per particle known to man, impossible to achieve in any present or foreseen man made accelerator devices thus their detection can test and probe extreme high energy physics.
One of the newest techniques for measuring high energy cosmic neutrinos regards their radio detection in natural salt mines. A first and essential step is to determine experimentally the radio wave attenuation length in salt mines, and this will represent the main goal of this project. The results shall be used to estimate the implications on the construction of the detector. The outcome of this project may rejuvenate the radio detection in salt technique and be a compelling case for Romanian involvement. The same measurements can be used: to validate and improve previous work on theoretical simulation models of propagation in heterogeneous media –a regime not very well understood (which represents another goal of the project), and to study the behavior of classical antennas in non-conventional media (the third major goal).
The results to be obtained would be immediately relevant in determination of the key parameters that describe a cosmic neutrino detector, its performances and limitations. The events detected by such a telescope will allow identification of individual sources indicating a step forward in “neutrino astronomy”. The extensive propagation and antenna behavior studies in heterogeneous media will be in the direct interest for the scientific community and have a prompt impact in telecommunications theory and industry.

Max ERC Funding

185 925 €

Duration

Start date: 2016-11-01, End date: 2018-10-31

Project acronymMQC

ProjectMethods for Quantum Computing

Researcher (PI)Andris Ambainis

Host Institution (HI)LATVIJAS UNIVERSITATE

Call DetailsAdvanced Grant (AdG), PE6, ERC-2012-ADG_20120216

Summary"Quantum information science (QIS) is a young research area at the frontier of both computer science and physics. It studies what happens when we apply the principles of quantum mechanics to problems in computer science and information processing. This has resulted in many unexpected discoveries and opened up new frontiers.
Quantum algorithms (such as Shor’s factoring algorithm) can solve computational problems that are intractable for conventional computers. Quantum mechanics also enables quantum cryptography which provides an ultimate degree of security that cannot be achieved by conventional methods. These developments have generated an enormous interest both in building a quantum computer and exploring the mathematical foundations of quantum information.
We will study computer science aspects of QIS. Our first goal is to develop new quantum algorithms and, more generally, new algorithmic techniques for developing quantum algorithms. We will explore a variety of new ideas: quantum walks, span programs, learning graphs, linear equation solving, computing by transforming quantum states.
Secondly, we will study the limits of quantum computing. We will look at various classes of computational problems and analyze what are the biggest speedups that quantum algorithms can achieve. We will also work on identifying computational problems which are hard even for a quantum computer. Such problems can serve as a basis for cryptography that would be secure against quantum computers.
Thirdly, the ideas from quantum information can lead to very surprising connections between different fields. The mathematical methods from quantum information can be applied to solve purely classical (non-quantum) problems in computer science. The ideas from computer science can be used to study the complexity of physical systems in quantum mechanics. We think that both of those directions have the potential for unexpected breakthroughs and we will pursue both of them."

"Quantum information science (QIS) is a young research area at the frontier of both computer science and physics. It studies what happens when we apply the principles of quantum mechanics to problems in computer science and information processing. This has resulted in many unexpected discoveries and opened up new frontiers.
Quantum algorithms (such as Shor’s factoring algorithm) can solve computational problems that are intractable for conventional computers. Quantum mechanics also enables quantum cryptography which provides an ultimate degree of security that cannot be achieved by conventional methods. These developments have generated an enormous interest both in building a quantum computer and exploring the mathematical foundations of quantum information.
We will study computer science aspects of QIS. Our first goal is to develop new quantum algorithms and, more generally, new algorithmic techniques for developing quantum algorithms. We will explore a variety of new ideas: quantum walks, span programs, learning graphs, linear equation solving, computing by transforming quantum states.
Secondly, we will study the limits of quantum computing. We will look at various classes of computational problems and analyze what are the biggest speedups that quantum algorithms can achieve. We will also work on identifying computational problems which are hard even for a quantum computer. Such problems can serve as a basis for cryptography that would be secure against quantum computers.
Thirdly, the ideas from quantum information can lead to very surprising connections between different fields. The mathematical methods from quantum information can be applied to solve purely classical (non-quantum) problems in computer science. The ideas from computer science can be used to study the complexity of physical systems in quantum mechanics. We think that both of those directions have the potential for unexpected breakthroughs and we will pursue both of them."